Inside the latest issue of Passenger Transport

Inside the latest issue of Passenger Transport

Issue 341 of Passenger Transport is published on July 11. Contents include:     LEAD STORY Free buses in return for c-charge in Oxford? Key transport organisations across the city have united in support of Oxfordshire County Council’s proposed £5 daily congestion charge £5 daily congestion charge   NEWS NAO...
Free buses in return for c-charge in Oxford?

Free buses in return for c-charge in Oxford?

Key transport organisations across the city have united in support of Oxfordshire County Council’s proposed £5 daily congestion charge £5 daily congestion charge   Broad coalition of organisations are backing the proposal   Making Oxford’s park and ride buses free to use could become a reality if plans for a...
NAO calls for DfT lead on bus improvements

NAO calls for DfT lead on bus improvements

Despite significant bus investment in recent years, a new report by the National Audit Office calls for better strategy and targeted funding   Report noted that bus franchising is complex and costly   The Department for Transport must deliver clearer strategic direction and cohesive funding if local transport authorities in...
French ambition contrasts with UK

French ambition contrasts with UK

  In the 1980s, France’s TGV high speed train revolution left the UK well behind. Is the same now happening on local transport?   Orléans is an example of what a public transport system can do in a small city   Paris in the springtime but today we have given...
Social media  - it’s all or nothing

Social media – it’s all or nothing

  If you put the right level of resource behind social media, it can be game-changing, but if you get it wrong it’s best not to bother   As part of my role, I do social media training for transport companies and detailed reviews of their approach and strategy  ...
UITP Summit puts Hamburg on show

UITP Summit puts Hamburg on show

  Germany’s second largest city is a showcase for innovation in transport policy, with ambitious targets to grow public transport   Hamburg has an extensive U-Bahn network of four lines with 93 station   The UITP Summit was held in Hamburg, Germany in mid-June 2025. Hamburg held the very first...
Does more choice mean cheaper fares?

Does more choice mean cheaper fares?

  The evidence suggests that open access competition has resulted in cheaper fares and grown the overall market for rail travel, says Andy Comfort   Hull Trains will celebrate its 25th birthday later this year   At 0614 on the morning of Sunday May 25, the first train to be...
Latest entries
Joint working group to save Scottish ADL jobs

Joint working group to save Scottish ADL jobs

UK Government and Scottish Government are working jointly to explore options to prevent the loss of 400 bus manufacturing jobs in Scotland   ADL: This is a challenging time, and we are grateful for the active engagement from the Scottish and UK Governments   A joint working group has been established by the UK Government...
Public transport must be a ‘climate priority’

Public transport must be a ‘climate priority’

More than 10,000 public transport professionals gathered in Hamburg last week for the UITP Summit – an event which is set to become annual   UITP president Renée Amilcar in Hamburg last week   “Public transport is not just a mobility solution in our cities – it’s a climate solution.” That was the message from...
SMEs to have focus in Welsh franchising plan

SMEs to have focus in Welsh franchising plan

Transport for Wales confirms contracts will be structures in a way that protects and encourages greater involvement from the SME sector   TfW envisages a ‘different playing fields’ approach to bus franchising   Bus franchising contracts in Wales could be as small as two vehicles to ensure accessibility for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), the...
Avanti and ALBUM shine in my report

Avanti and ALBUM shine in my report

  What’s been going well in public transport in 2025 and where is greater attention required? It’s time for my half-term report   Over the last month, I’ve made twice-weekly trips with Avanti and each time the service just gets better and better   It’s hard to believe midsummer’s night has been and gone and...
Breaking down the transport bonanza

Breaking down the transport bonanza

  Sing Alleluia and let the word go forth: white smoke has billowed from the chimney atop Number 11 – we have a Spending Review   The chancellor at Taff’s Well Rail Depot (image: Kirsty O’Connor / Treasury)   Among the bountiful gifts bestowed by the Chancellor are a four-year funding settlement to underpin England’s...
Why so many embarrassing fiascos?

Why so many embarrassing fiascos?

  Why do so many of our public sector projects end up massively expensive, heavily over budget, late to be delivered, and faulty?   HS2 will not be a particularly attractive journey, as most of the line will be in tunnels or cuttings   How much does a door cost? Well if it’s replacement one...
£15bn package is ‘huge vote of confidence’

£15bn package is ‘huge vote of confidence’

Chancellor announces £15.6bn of funding for local transport projects in England’s city regions, £2.3bn for other areas and extends £3 bus fare cap   Rachel Reeves during her visit to Mellor   This month’s Comprehensive Spending Review contained positive outcomes for the public transport sector. Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced £15.6bn of funding by 2031-32 for...
Bus franchising ‘may not meet expectations’

Bus franchising ‘may not meet expectations’

Louise Cheeseman, former TfL director of buses, warns of lack of expertise while others say public expectation levels are high for franchising schemes   Cheeseman: ‘My worry for bus reform going forward is lack of expertise’   Governments may have raised public expectations too high in their messaging on franchising and new municipal bus operators,...
Do we have our fingers on the pulse?

Do we have our fingers on the pulse?

  How well does public transport understand its existing and potential customers, and the societal trends that influence them?   There has been a greater post-Covid recovery in women travelling by bus than men   “Time is the most precious resource any of us has,” Marc Winsland remarked in his excellent article in the last...
Bee Network offers blueprint for Britain

Bee Network offers blueprint for Britain

  As I bid farewell to the Bee Network and its striking yellow buses, I do so with immense pride. It’s a model that others can follow   The Bee Network   Bus franchising is a transformative approach to public transport management, granting local authorities the ability to regulate service quality, fares, and network integration....
Putting rail’s jigsaw puzzle together

Putting rail’s jigsaw puzzle together

  We might not have all the pieces, but we have enough to make a very good start. Let’s begin transforming the UK rail industry   If you’re the sort of person who plunges into a jigsaw puzzle without consulting the picture on the box first, you’ll know how hard it can be. You tip...
Smarter data, better buses

Smarter data, better buses

  Collaboration with CitySwift has been a win for passengers, operators and Transport for London   London’s buses carry around 1.8 billion passenger journeys each year London’s bus network is one of the largest and most mature in the world, with nearly 9,000 vehicles operating across over 600 routes. These buses collectively carry around 1.8...